NBA Off-Season Review – Atlanta Hawks
By Ed Isaacson
The NBA Draft Blog review of the NBA off-season continues with a trip to the ATL. Jordan Craword parlayed his well-known Summer camp dunk over Lebron James into a stellar sophomore season at Xavier and became the Atlanta Hawks first round pick (in a swap for picks Damion James and Tibor Pleiss.) Does Crawford have what it takes to make in impact in Atlanta this season.
Off-season Recap – Atlanta Hawks
Players Lost
Josh Childress – SF – Trade to Phoenix
Players Gained
Josh Powell – F- Free Agent from Los Angeles Lakers
Free Agents Re-Signed
Joe Johnson – F
Jason Collins – C
Draft Picks & Other Rookie Signings
1st Round – Jordan Crawford – G – Xavier (#27, from New Jersey)
2nd round – Pape Sy – F – France (#53)
Draft Pick & Rookie Outlook (Based on Roster as of 8/6/10)
Any chance that Jordan Crawford had of starting his rookie season as the team’s shooting guard was effectively washed away with the re-signing of Joe Johnson to a max deal. A close look at Crawford’s game in Las Vegas convinced me that he has too many flaws to be a Top 8 man in a NBA team rotation right now. While he does bring some good offensive skills, many of them are similar to what Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford bring to the table already. He needs to work on his shot selection, though he is never shy about shooting out of a slump. Defensively, he needs to work hard on improving his on-ball skills, especially his footwork. Barring injuries, it will be tough for Crawford to get any meaningful minutes this season.
I will be surprised if Pape Sy ever plays a NBA minute, let alone a roster.
One player I liked from their Vegas squad who should be given a shot at the roster this fall is Alade Aminu, who showed improved toughness and a good mid-range jumper. If given the chance, he could be a nice role player.
Make sure to check back tomorrow for a look at the Wizards’ off-season review.